China | Beijing + Hong Kong

Now that we are state-side, everyone asks me, “Of all the places you went to, what was your favorite?” It is quite difficult to narrow down all the locations to just one, so I find myself trying to cram as many cities as I can into one sentence, ha. My typical response is: “Queenstown, New Zealand hands down, but Dubai, UAE and Hanoi, Vietnam were really neat, oh, and I’d absolutely live in Sydney, Australia or Hong Kong, China!”
Before the trip, I could’ve predicted that New Zealand would be a part of my answer, but I’m so surprised that China is! I thought I’d be overwhelmed trying to navigate Beijing and Hong Kong: the streets, restaurant menus, transportation systems, language barriers and the cultures in general.
While Beijing was a challenge considering 100% of the population spoke Mandarin and 0.5% spoke English, my experience on the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall trumped all the minor trials we faced. I had no idea leading into our day trip that we would ascend the wall by chair lift and descend via luge! How cool is that?!

And Hong Kong was just spectacular. The city truly has it all. You can hike through luscious greenery to white sand beaches 15 minutes outside the city center, watch horse races just beyond the Central district, sip a cocktail at the world’s tallest bar, and eat your body weight in dim sum for $15 USD. Need I say more?
I can’t wait to share HUTTON|B recommendations in my Beijing and Hong Kong guides! For now, take a look at the video below for a sneak peak of what the cities have to offer.
XO, HUTTON B.